How to Install Security Cameras

Have you ever experienced getting your home broken into? Do you live in an area where the crime rate is relatively high? Just the thought of a stranger going into your home unwelcomed is enough to make any person shake in his boots, but with a couple of home improvements, you can rest assured that people with not-so-good intentions will think twice before they even try to break into your home. This is the reason why you need to know how to install security cameras.

Before you begin

Before you can start outfitting your home with the latest in surveillance equipment, you need to take a couple of things into consideration:

IP or Smart Camera? – What do hidden cameras look like in the first place? IP cameras are cheaper, but they are harder to setup and install. Smart cameras on the other hand are easier to use and are often wireless (you just need to plug them into a power outlet).

Webcam or security cam? –Will you be installing a covert camera indoors to keep an eye on your pets or keep tabs on your babysitters while you’re out of the house? Maybe you want a camera to scout the perimeter of your house to make sure that no one gets in unannounced? Whatever your purpose, you need to find the right camera for the job.

Camera features – Many smart cameras nowadays come with different features that make them extremely user-friendly. You need to review each one that you are thinking of buying to see if they have the features that you need and so you can also find out how to install surveillance cameras as well.

Budget – How much are you willing to spend on security cameras? The size of your budget will determine the quality and quantity of the cameras that you can buy and install. How to Install Security Cameras in Your Home.

Step 1 – Find Suitable Spots to Install Your Cameras

Before you start drilling holes and running wires all over your house, you need to plan ahead and locate the ideal placements for your cameras. You need to make sure that the cameras will be in places where they can get the best viewing angles, are protected from the elements, placed high enough so that they could not be tampered with, and are placed in an inconspicuous location so that intruders are caught unaware.

You need to know how to install surveillance cameras outside of the home properly so you can make the most use out of them.

Step 2 – Procuring the Necessary Components and Tools

For a complete home surveillance system, you will need cameras, a digital video recorder, a power supply, cables, and a monitor. The cameras are for taking footage, the DVR records the footage for later viewing, and the monitor is for checking on the cameras at real time.

Some people think that the DVR is unnecessary because you already have the monitor, but you don’t actually have the time or the luxury of keeping an eye on the monitors the whole day.

Besides the necessary hardware and the knowledge of how to install security cameras, you also need to have the right tools at the ready before you start installing.

Step 3 – Setting up the Wiring

You will need to drill a couple of holes in your walls and ceilings for the cables that will power the security cameras and the ones that will send the footage to the DVR. You need to make sure that you hide the cables to the best of your abilities so that would-be intruders cannot just cut them to disable the cameras.

Another reason for hiding the cables is for aesthetics; no one likes seeing dangling wires and cables around their homes. If you don’t want to lay out that many lines, you can install wireless security cameras, which would only require wires for the power supply.

Step 4 – Installing the Cameras

Depending on the make and model of the cameras you will be using, the mounting systems that they use may vary, so you should consult with the included user’s manual for instructions on how to install security cameras properly.

For instance, simple bullet-style cameras only require you to screw them into place, while dome cameras, on the other hand, would often require you to cut out almost perfect circles on the ceiling so they would sit flush on the surface.

Step 5 – Connecting the Components

I will assume that you will be using RC59 cables for transferring data from your home security cameras to your DVR as this is the industry standard. So after you have finished laying out the cables and installing the cameras, you now have to wire the entire system together.

First, you have to connect the RC59 cable onto the output jack of the camera and then connect the power cable onto the power jack. After you connect the power and double-checking that the camera does indeed receive electricity, you can then connect the other end of the RC59 cable into the DVR, which is placed in a central location in the house. You will then need to connect either an RCA cable or an HDMI cable from the DVR into the monitor.

If you don’t want a separate DVR and monitor setup, you can get a DVR card and install it in your desktop PC. This method is much more convenient and less clunky than having separate hardware for your security system; if you wanted to know how to connect cctv camera to mobile phone then this is the one for you.

Step 6 – Configuring Your Security System

Thanks to modern smart cameras, it is now easier to learn how to install home security cameras and configure them properly. You just need to install the program included with the camera and follow the instructions on the screen to connect the cameras into the system.

Once all the cameras are connected to the system, do a couple of test recordings and wireless streaming just to make sure that everything is working the way they should.

Step 7 – Calibrating the Camera Angles

Now that you know how to install security cameras, you must then adjust them properly. After you made sure that all the cameras are working, the final step is to calibrate each camera so they will capture everything that you need to see.

Have someone watch the monitors while you walk around the cameras’ field of view, and try to find if there are any huge blind spots. Ideally, you need to angle the cameras so that the blind spots of one camera is covered by others, and vice-versa.

Conclusion

Do you now understand why it is important that you have at least two or three security cameras installed in your home? Were you able to follow the steps mentioned above on how to install security cameras?

The world is a dangerous place, but that does not mean you should just cringe in fear while waiting for the inevitable to happen. You need to be proactive and invest on security systems that will keep your family and yourself safe, and security cameras has always been one of the best deterrents of robberies and home invasions ever invented so you might want to check them out if you haven’t already.

If you found this article useful, or if you have any suggestions that may also help other readers, please share your thoughts on the comments section below. Also, please share the article to your friends and loved ones whom you think is in need of this kind of information.

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